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While you're frying up some eggs and bacon, we're cooking up something else: a way to celebrate today's food holiday.

Start your engines for some rum-running - August 16 is National Rum Day!

Quench your thirst and partake in this sweet Caribbean spirit today. Made by distilling the byproducts of molasses and sugarcane, rum ends up the strong, silent type on the scale of alcoholic beverages.
The origins of the name "rum" are unclear and often disputed, but one thing everyone can agree on is that rum discovered its birthright on Caribbean sugarcane plantations in the 1600s. It soon became a favorite of pirates and the Navy; thirsty American colonials and the rest of the world soon followed.

The term 'rum' is very probably short for 'rumbullion' (not sure I spelled that right). Rumbullion means 'a very loud noise' and was a term commonly associated with canon fire. Also, rum was the first spirit to have a 'proof'. Sailors would make a small pile of gun powder and hose it with rum. They would then light the whole thing. If there was more water than alcohol, the gun powder wouldn't burn. If there wad more alcohol than water, the gun powder would burn, thereby showing 'proof' of the spirit's potency. BTW, if you like spiced rum, give Brinley Gold Shipwreck Rum. It's inexpensive and super smooth!

August 17, 2011 at 2:14 pm |

Dustin

Well, I was going to be good tonight and not have a drink, but then I read this article, and I love rum. Doh!

August 16, 2011 at 9:57 pm |

the year of LIVING UNOFFICIALLY

A much needed holiday! Check out how we celebrated at http://theyearoflivingunofficially.com/

August 16, 2011 at 9:24 pm |

Mike

Nothing beats Rhum Barbancourt Special Reserve.

August 16, 2011 at 8:14 pm |

Doug D

I first met Rhum Barbancourt in the Caribbean, we fell in love, and at $8 to $15 (dependig on the aging) a bottle down there, it was well worth filling a suitcase

August 17, 2011 at 9:38 am |

Allison

Best way to celebrate national rum day? Apply to be Tommy Bahama's Rumologist - then it will be Rum Day everyday! Check out the video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=290BehmZp3k&feature=channel_video_title, and apply on Tommy Bahama's Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/tommybahama.

August 16, 2011 at 4:47 pm |

F Loker

Gotta say daveinmass is the only one who got it right. BEst rums Ron Zacapa 23 yr old and Zaya. Who's tried Atlintico?

August 16, 2011 at 4:18 pm |

Santa Claus

If you want the good presents, ditch the milk and cookies. Leave me Rum and More Rum.

PS: The Reindeer prefer Rum too.

August 16, 2011 at 4:15 pm |

suine

Havana Club. Period.

August 16, 2011 at 4:00 pm |

Kotex

Here's a pad for ya.

August 17, 2011 at 9:32 am |

Midol@Kotex

No Thanks,I have a headache.

August 17, 2011 at 9:35 am |

ErikL

Kracken is by far has the best flavor...anyone agree?

August 16, 2011 at 3:54 pm |

SusanG

Let loose the Kraken! def agree, although Sailor Jerry's is a good replacement in a pinch!

August 17, 2011 at 9:22 am |

Capt.LandSark

A shot of Capt. Morgan in a bottle of LandShark beer.

August 16, 2011 at 3:52 pm |

aubrie

I like the way Sailor Jerry's smells.... not to mention how it goes down soooooo easy.

August 16, 2011 at 3:44 pm |

Lt dan

Old Sailor Jerry was the great grandfather of American tattoo artists. A true original.

August 16, 2011 at 3:58 pm |

Rum Bar

Seven Fathoms Rum from the Cayman Islands... very unique premium rum (aged underwater), and the only one made in Cayman.

August 16, 2011 at 3:35 pm |

Spinner

Off to have my Screech over ice...love the Newfie's

August 16, 2011 at 3:28 pm |

mightaswellbe

The best Rum, much like the best beer I ever drank, happens to be the one I have in my hand at the moment. All that went before is just memories.

August 16, 2011 at 3:09 pm |

SD Native

Ballast Point just started making a nice, strong, sipping rum.

For a rum with a slight orange flavor try Pyrat.

My all-time favorite is Ron Matusalem. Pricey but a fantastic, neat, sipper. Combine that with a MonteChristo and life doesn't get too much better. Well, if there were a girl sitting next to me, it would be better. And if I had solid gold toilets, maybe...

Sitting on the third floor balcony of Pusser's Landing on St. John, sipping a Painkiller and watching the sun set over St. Thomas. One of my favorite rum memories.

August 16, 2011 at 1:46 pm |

SD Native

Great rum. Watching my future ex guzzling Pusser's with some guy in a bar, forget she's married and head off to do him on his boat in the BVI. Ah...those were the days. :)

Nevertheless, Pusser's is a great rum.

August 16, 2011 at 2:38 pm |

BPatters

Dawn Beach in St. Maarten....Mr. Busby's (beach bar & grill)....a large container of Mount Gay with bananas sliced up in it sits on the bar....sipping it while looking out at St. Bart's....doesn't get any better than that.

August 16, 2011 at 12:52 pm |

kppresent

must be rough...u must be one of those corporate executives.. living the high life...

August 16, 2011 at 1:01 pm |

BPatters

Haha, I wish. Just been there a couple times as a cruise ship port....highly recommend this spot in St. Maarten.

August 16, 2011 at 1:11 pm |

aubrie

All of my mother's family lives there and I can't afford the airfare to go....... :( they do have good run though...

August 16, 2011 at 3:42 pm |

BPatters

Time flies when you're having rum :)

August 16, 2011 at 12:49 pm |

Rodney Dangerfield

Time's fun when you're having flies.

August 16, 2011 at 7:24 pm |

Daveinmass

Try Ron Zacapa 23, no water, no coke, no ice, no lime, no nothing – aka, neat. Best sipping rum in the world. (Zaya is special, too.)

August 16, 2011 at 12:31 pm |

Copapod

Zaya is our favorite!

August 16, 2011 at 3:20 pm |

miami305

SAILOR JERRY RUM IS THE BEST TRUST ME I HAVE TRIED THEM ALL AND THIS IS THE RUM THE PIRATES TELL TALE OF!!!

August 16, 2011 at 12:07 pm |

Horatio Hornblower

Hey CAPT.CAPLOCK..I CAN'T HEAR YOU...

August 16, 2011 at 1:40 pm |

1703

Sailor Jerry's rum was created to sell his T-shirts and other clothing. If you want the Nectar of the God's you must drink Mount Gay!

August 16, 2011 at 2:05 pm |

dan(p)

AGREE – Mount Gay Eclipse – the best.

August 16, 2011 at 9:05 pm |

Punctuation Nazi@miami305

Turn off your caps lock and turn on your punctuation keys! You aren't making any sense VERY LOUDLY.

I am all for that, celebrate, celebrate, but when is it Natrional Alcohol day, that would include all those who do not like rum. As for me, "gimme di wites"

August 16, 2011 at 10:54 am |

Ed

Meyer's and OJ. The good stuff in the OJ counter balances the bad stuff in the rum.

August 16, 2011 at 10:53 am |

Iowan

I do like mine mixed a bit – dark rum and sweet vermouth. One smooth drink.

August 16, 2011 at 10:35 am |

The Witty One

When is national vodka day?!?

August 16, 2011 at 10:12 am |

BeerBrewerDan

Move to Russia: it's every day!

August 16, 2011 at 11:35 am |

Lily

Same day as the Pulaski Day Parade here in New York City; second or third Sunday in October.

Meanwhile, enjoy the rum :)

August 16, 2011 at 1:32 pm |

John

Meyer's rum is my favorite

August 16, 2011 at 9:38 am |

Ron-not-rum

Good rum was never intended to be mixed with anything. Straight over ice with a wedge of lime is the way God wanted it to be consumed. We ain't talking Baccardi rum here. If you buy cheap then go ahead and mix that swill.

August 16, 2011 at 9:36 am |

Jeann

I have to agree. Americans would not know a good rum if they were drowning in it.